WIN a set of Planners - Old English Company*

As a huge stationery lover, I was pleased to find out that it is in fact World Stationery Day on 25th April! In honour of this, Old English Company are running a competition to win one of their gorgeous planners.

The planners come in a range of colours and the competition gives you a chance to win all four! The planners are perfect for jotting down ideas and to-do lists and also make great gifts for friends and family.

Old English Company are a stationery and giftware company based in Stamford, England. Their products also include greeting cards, enamel pins, coasters, art prints and more. All designs have a simple, stylish and fun hand-lettered theme throughout. I also really like the cute range of coasters available.

To be in the chance of winning, head over to the competition page and follow the simple instructions. The winner will be chosen at random on 26th April 2018. Good Luck!

* This is a sponsored post. Please see my Disclaimer for more information, all photos shown in this post are property of the Old English Company.

Wedding Plus 1's, Find Yours With Badoo*

As you may know, I am getting married next year so I have had the fun task of putting together a rough guest list of who I want to invite. When it comes to single friends, it is difficult to know whether to add a +1 to their invite or not. On one hand, you want them to have someone there so they don’t feel alone but on the other hand you don’t want them inviting someone they’ve known 2 weeks for the sake of having someone there with them. It is difficult, and even more so if you are that single friend trying to decide on whether or not to bring someone alone to such a special occasion.

I have come up with some ideas on how to combat being single at a wedding if you do happen to be in this scenario. On the other hand, when you get the invite through and you see that dreaded ‘+1’, there are options and you do still have time to find the one! If you haven’t heard of Badoo, then I am not sure where you have been! Badoo is the biggest dating app in the world, and is open and exclusive to everyone. With over 360 million registered users worldwide, there is bound to be someone out there for you. Avoid being single at a wedding and sign up to Badoo today, you never know – it could be you next!

Chat to People
When it comes to attending a wedding, be friendly and outgoing. This is an opportunity to meet new people not only on your table but on other tables too. Make conversation on the dance floor, or at the bar. If you look like you are having a good time then people will be more attracted to you and more likely to come over for a chat. You are there to celebrate and support a friend so why not have a good time doing so regardless of whether or not you are single.

With Badoo's sleek new design, chatting to new people couldn’t be easier. Your messages are kept in one place so you can see your conversations with ease. You can even send stickers and emojis. There is now a 2 message limit so if you haven’t replied to someone after 2 messages then the feeling obviously isn’t mutual. A block is then put in place so that no more messages can be sent so gone is the annoyance of having someone constantly spam you with messages. If someone does make you feel uncomfortable then you  can very easily block or report them if needed.

Don’t catch the bouquet
Just because you are single doesn’t mean you have to line up and take part in the traditional “catch the bouquet” scenario. Take a breather and don’t allow yourself to be put in that situation where you feel under pressure. Personally, if you’ve seen the price of bridal bouquets recently then the bride will certainly not be throwing it! I think this a tradition that needs to be squashed.

Instead of being outed as single to the whole wedding party, being on Badoo means you can see if any other users are nearby. There is a feature that allows you to discover people who you have walked past or bumped into that day so if any other guests are online, you’ll know about it. That man on the bus that always give you a smile, maybe he is also using Badoo. You won’t know until you download the app.

Take Mental Notes
So you may not be getting married in the near future, so what? Use this time to take in the environment, think about what you would do at your own wedding. Soak it all up and picture what things you would like to incorporate in your big day, and those little things that you wouldn’t bother about. This is a time to get excited about your future! Don’t dwell on the past about relationships that never took off, look towards the future and think “this could be me one day!”

Badoo is easy to set up, simply set up your filter and match with those that catch your eye. If you like someone on the app and they like you back they will appear in your match list. You can also see who has recently visited your profile and who has added you as a favourite. People who have verified their profiles by providing a phone number or social media account will appear with a blue tick, so you know they’re genuine.

So you know what, maybe after reading this you may not have to survive being single at a wedding. You may have found the one with Badoo! Let me know what you think of the app.

*Sponsored Post

Losing Weight and Fat Freezing Treatments*

So as many of you may know right now, I am officially getting married and need to shift some serious weight before I even start to try on some dresses let alone actually walk down that aisle. I thought I would do a monthly weigh in with a few of the things I have tried out throughout the month and how my weight is changing whether that be up or down! So I am going to aim to post these monthly if this one goes down well so please let me know what you think. Now that my holiday is out of the way, I have a clear run until Christmas so will be trying my best. My fiancé has also set up a training plan for me and kitted me out with some new gym equipment. He has also been taking my measurements bi-weekly so I can track those too.

For those who don’t want to read through the whole thing, I will do a quick summary at the top.

Month 1 Starting Weight – 12 Stone 11.5 lbs
Month 2 Starting Weight – 12 Stone 5.5lbs
Total Weight Loss for Month 1 – 6lbs

I recently heard about Fat Freezing treatments available at Pulse Light Clinic in London. It’s a non-surgical fat reduction treatment that treats that stubborn fat that exercise simply won’t touch! Once the fat has been removed, it is gone for good. 

CoolSculpting is suitable for fat all over the body including double chins, love handles, back fat, saggy bums and flabby thighs. Fat freezing is exactly how it sounds, your fat literally gets frozen away in a safe, effective and FDA approved way. The technology used is called Cryolipolysis and is done without needles or surgery. The CoolSculpting pack is placed onto the area that is going to be treated and is left for only one hour. During this time the fat cells are being frozen which then causes them to die. They are then flushed out of your body! The below video is fantastic if you want to know a little bit more.

If you are looking to get this treatment done then you can contact the clinic on the below addresses:

Tottenham Court Road Clinic

5 Percy Street, London, W1T IDG

Tel: 0207 205 4085

Fenchurch Street Clinic

1st Floor, 152 Fenchurch Street, London, EC3M 6BB

Tel: 0207 523 5158

I won’t post my exact measurements but can tell you that this month I lost about 2 inches from each leg, and 4 inches around my stomach and waist. I also lost an inch from each arm, not sure if that is a good thing or a bad thing! Onto my weekly losses for this month, I have included some of the meals that I have been eating. Let me know if you have any questions – or what you think! And if you would like to see more of these posts please let me know and I can make sure I do that for you.

Week 1 – Weigh in (12 Stone 11.5 lbs)

This is my starting point after a week’s holiday in Wales eating to my heart’s content. , I knew that the scales weren’t going to like me today but it’s good to have a starting point. We started the week off with a Shepherd’s Pie, packed with veg and for the rest of the week our meals consisted of pasta bake with lean pork meatballs, vegetable chilli, salmon with stir fry vegetables and rice, slow cooked sausage casserole and lean turkey mince meatballs with pasta. For lunches I have been enjoying some vegetable soups and I have been snacking on fruit, yoghurt and lean meats.

Week 2 – Weigh in (12 Stone 7.5 lbs) -4lbs

This week I was pleased to see a loss after being back to healthy eating for a week. This week’s food consisted of a risotto, curry, sausage pasta bake, ostrich steaks, salmon and a Mediterranean chicken pilaf. I have also been snacking on grapes and lean meats as well as some low fat yoghurts. For lunches I made a spicy butternut squash soup with onion, carrot, garlic, ginger, celery and chilli which has been lovely and warming during the colder weather.

Week 3 – Weigh in (12 stone 7lbs) -0.5lbs

This week I had a reasonably good week food wise but the weekend knocked me well and truly off the wagon. I was lucky to scrape a loss this week I think! Pleased with my half a pound off, I sailed onto week 4.

Week 4 – Weigh in (12 stone 5.5lbs) – 1.5lbs

This week was what I called a ‘light’ week where I seem to get away with eating lots of food but still losing weight. It’s just one of those months I guess!

*Sponsored Post

Recreating Our First Date*

One of the first posts I wrote about on this blog when I revamped it was all about my first date with my fiancé. Where it all began. It’s hard to believe that was over 4 years ago now. He took me to the zoo to show me how to use my camera (well that was his excuse anyway!).

Recently we decided to recreate that first date and head back to the same zoo. It was such a nice experience to go back. It brought back memories from the first time we went. When we first went, James brought a picnic along with him so we did the same again. I packed sandwiches for us, sausage rolls, grapes, crisps and drinks. A bit more elaborate than the first time we came!

We wandered around the zoo pointing out things that we did last time and places that we looked around all those years ago. I remember thinking this was such a fun first date, a lot different to the types of dates that you see on TV. Having never really ‘dated’ before, it definitely was one to remember. I think first dates definitely set the mood for the rest of the relationship. A rubbish first date may mean that you won’t see the person again.

First dates can be anything from a meal, a quick drink or something a bit different like a zoo trip. If you are looking to date then a good place to start would be trying out some of the best dating sites. Depending on where you live there are plenty of sites available such as Cumbria dating site, Wiltshire dating site or dating agency Shropshire.  There really is something out there for everyone, you could even date divorced singles. Why don’t you give it a go - you never know where it may lead!

Where would your ideal first date be?

*Sponsored Post

Being Engaged and How to Find the One?*

If you don’t already know, I recently got engaged and thought I would put into words a few things that I have noticed along the way over the past few weeks.

Firstly for the first week at LEAST you will not be able to stop staring at your hand. I found myself looking at my ring at every opportunity. Driving home I’d catch a glance at it, even at the printer at work I would be standing there admiring it. Everyone else will want to look at it too, I had to get my nails done purely as so many people were looking at my hands. You’ll think it’s fallen off so you’ll have to keep looking to reassure yourself. For the first week I would wake up in the night and check it was still on my finger! The first question people will ask is “how did they propose?” so be prepared to tell your story over and over again. I think in the end I copied and pasted it onto a word document so I could send it on if anyone asked.

Not my actual ring!

Everyone will want to know if you’ve set a date before you’ve barely settled into the idea. If anyone you know gets engaged and you are reading this, please just let them enjoy the moment and don’t pester them for dates! Saying that we booked ours after just a few weeks, but I had been secretly browsing for months so had a few ideas. People will also have an opinion on how you should do things. Just remember it is YOUR day, what you do is completely up to you. I only want one bridesmaid as I can’t afford to have more and don’t want to cause arguments amongst friends and whilst this is not particularly traditional I have to think it is not about anyone else. Don’t feel the need to invite people that you haven’t seen or spoken to in years even if they are family, at £45 a head on average it’s not cheap and I can’t afford to have anyone and everyone attend. You do what you want to do. I have started planning some of the finer details using my gorgeous Jardine of London Suffolk Leather Journal. I was lucky enough to win this journal in the East Anglian Wedding Magazine Giveaway! I am in love with it. It fits my wedding theme perfectly and retails at £75 if you were looking to get one for yourself.

Friends that are married (especially recently married) will become a god send for advice and tips. I wouldn’t have known where to start if it wasn’t for a couple of people who’ve just got married telling me all of the tips and tricks. Take all of their advice on board, it really is useful. Find out what they thought was worth the money and things that were not so worth getting. You will feel a different kind of love for your partner. No matter how long you have been together, being engaged means this shit is real. Someone actually wants to be with you for life. I felt a massive surge of love after I got engaged, I was on cloud 9 and felt like the luckiest girl alive. There’s no feeling quite like it.

Weddings are expensive. When you do start looking at different venues you will be shocked at how expensive weddings really are. I mean, sure they can be done on a budget so shop around where you can. I find myself thinking, do I have beans on toast for a year so I can afford flowers for my wedding? And it is a tempting option! You will find that friends and family with certain skills will be very generous in offering their services so grab the offer with both hands. I really do feel grateful for people that are willing to help.

Me and my fiancé know each other by association at sixth form but rekindled our friendship online. I think it can be a really effective way to meet someone, especially if you lack confidence talking to people face to face like me. If you are looking for the one then why not try out a dating site? Depending on where you live there are plenty of sites available such as Exeter dating, Highlands dating, Plymouth dating, Birmingham dating and for the more mature audience there is over 50s dating.

For those who want a ‘no strings attached’ relationship there is the option to sign up to an adult dating site. This site is more suited for people who want a quick fling rather than a long term relationship. It then leaves room for people who are serious about the long term to join the other sites I mentioned above. Why don’t you give it a go - you never know where it may lead!

*Sponsored Post

Make Life Easier With Bidvine*

Since moving into my house I have needed a lot of work doing and have struggled to get recommendations from friends for trusted tradesmen. Sometimes it is hard to know where to start when looking for people to do odd jobs around the home. When I heard about a website called Bidvine, all of my frustrations were resolved. Bidvine is not only a website for finding handy men, it is also the easiest way to find professionals from fashion photographers to painters and decorators and even yoga instructors.

Photo provided by Bidvine.

So I am sure you are wondering how Bidvine works? Firstly head over to the Bidvine website and tell them what it is you are looking for. This can be anything from a plasterer to a masseuse, whatever you need. It is very clear from the webpage where you need to type in this information. You then have to simply type in your postcode. The website then asks you a series of service-specific questions relating to what you first put in so for example Plastering Services, they may ask what size area needs plastering and so on. Once you have filled in all of the information, you can then create an account. Your job request is then sent to qualified people who will then ‘bid’ to carry out the services. They will tell you what they can offer and for how much, you can then select who you want to go with.

Professionals have up to 4 days to contact you with a bid but you should expect to get your first bids within hours. Depending on the nature of the job and the level of detail you have entered will all depend on the amount of bids you will receive but you will usually get 2 pros expressing their interest. Professionals using the site pay a small fee to send you a custom bid so all Bidvine ask is that you respond to everyone respecting their hard work and time. The fact that pros have to pay means you really do get dedicated people who really want to help you out on there.

After you have received your required service you can then add a review. Other people browsing the site will rely on reviews in order to make their decisions regardless of what type of experience you have had. Another thing to note is that Bidvine share the answers that you provide to the service-specific questions, your general location, and your phone number if you have asked them to. They don't share your email.

Photo provided by Bidvine

Bidvine really takes away the pressures of trying to find a professional. Once your information has been submitted you simply sit and wait for the bids to come in. You can then decide who you want to work with dependent on your budget and what quality of service you are after. Some of the other services offered on the site include, photography, language lessons, music lessons, painting, house clearances, fitness and wellbeing.

Will you be using Bidvine?

*Sponsored Post.

Basic Car Servicing Awareness & Tips: For a Smooth Ride*

My car is due its yearly service in a couple of weeks and I cannot stress the importance of having this done. Since owning newer cars I have made it a necessity to get a service completed to keep them in check during their first three years before the MOT is due.

A few years ago now I had an older car. I would take it to have an MOT once a year and that would be that until the year after. I never did anything in-between and one day I certainly learned my lesson. About 7 years ago now, I was driving along a country road when I came across a slight wet patch in the road. My car skidded and then hit something at the side of the road. I carried on driving further up and noticed my car did not feel right. When I got to the next junction, my car struggled to pull away so I pulled up in a safe area. My tyre had completely torn and was not roadworthy. I had to get the AA to come and change it for me, they told me that if I would have got my car serviced and had my tyres regularly changed then this would not have happened. The tyre had worn right down meaning it did not have as much grip on the road which caused me to skid. This experience was not a nice one for me and I did feel scared. I am so pleased that I now regularly service my car and check my tyre tread.

If you are a driver then you should be aware of basic car maintenance tips to keep your vehicle in check between visits to the garage. I am going to outline some basic tips which will be able to help you and ensure your safety on the road. When I did a recent driving course, they taught me the FLOWER method to check a vehicle as follows:

Fuel – Check that you have enough fuel to cover your journey or for really long journeys fill up your tank and make sure you re-fill it again well before it drops into the red in case you don’t come across a fuel station for a few miles. If it’s snowing and you run out of petrol it won’t be ideal being stuck in the cold!

Lights - Test all of your lights before setting off to ensure your bulbs are all working and that there are no cracks in the lenses. Also make sure they are clean and not obscured with dirt. Having a light out is not only dangerous, it can also get you a ticket or a VDRS slip (Vehicle Defect Rectification Scheme) from the police if they notice a defect on your vehicle. You will be required to get the defect fixed as soon as possible and to provide suitable evidence within 14 days that you have done so. If you fail to do so you will face the prospect of prosecution, points on your licence and a fine.

Oils - Make sure your oil levels are topped up above the minimum lines. Don’t forget to also check your coolant levels and anti-freeze for the upcoming cold months. This prevents the engine from overheating and failing. Checking the engine oil is relatively simple, even I can do it! You are often taught how to do this on your driving test. If your car does not have enough oil then the engine can be at serious risk of damage. You should check your oil levels once a fortnight and top up when needed. To check the oil levels make sure the engine is cool and that your car is not parked on a hill. Remove the oil dipstick and wipe clean with a cloth. Re-insert the dipstick fully, pull it out again and check that the level is between the two lines. Engine coolant helps to remove excess heat from your car’s engine. If coolant levels get low, your engine can overheat and cause serious damage. It is a good idea to check coolant levels before a long journey. Locate the engine coolant reservoir and check that the level is between the min and max marks. If it needs to be topped up, make sure the engine has completely cooled off.

Water - Top up your water in your car – this includes wiper fluid. Make sure your windscreen is clear from dirt/debris and that you can see out of it before setting off. If your screen has misted up, wait for it to completely de-mist before starting your journey.

Electrics – Battery problems can be the number one cause of breakdowns. Renew old batteries before they let you down. Make sure your electric radiator cooling fan starts running when the engine is hot.

Rubber - Before you set off you need to ensure your tyres are safer and roadworthy. The minimum legal tread depth for tyres is 1.6mm but it is recommended you maintain a depth of at least 3mm. Worn tyres affect your stopping distance and can cause you to lose control in wet weather which is likely this winter. They can also cause you to use more fuel. Stopping distances increase in the rain and snow so please take this into account. Also make sure your tyre pressure is correct and tyres are pumped up correctly. Your handbook will give you the recommended guide which may differ if you are carrying extra passengers. As the driver you are responsible for ensuring the vehicle you are driving is maintained in a roadworthy condition. Ensure your windscreen wiper blades are working and they are not split or worn. Ossett Tyre House offers car servicing in Dewsbury so if you want to get your vehicle in tip top shape then be sure to check them out.

I hope these tips will help you on your next journey and help you to continue having a smooth ride.

*Sponsored post.

Halfords Boardman Competition*

If you don’t know who Chris Boardman is then where have you been? Chris Boardman is a British former racing cyclist and Olympic gold medal winner. Halfords are delighted to announce the launch of the brand new Performance bike range from Boardman on Friday 29th January, exclusively available in-store and online at Halfords.com.

The new Performance range from Boardman has been rigourously tested by the Boardman team to ensure that the latest models are more than a match for the rigours of British riding. With something for everyone, from the commuter, to the thrill seeking mountain biker, and the all-out racer, each of the 23 new bikes in the range has been designed with the needs of the modern cyclist in mind.

To celebrate the launch of this exciting new range, Halfords are offering you the chance to win one of the fantastic Boardman Performance bikes, in the discipline of your choice, as well as the opportunity for the first prize winner, to put their new bike through its paces on a ride-out with the icon and inspiration behind the brand, Chris Boardman.

As the UK’s leading cyclist and motoring retailer, Halfords is the first place I go to when in need of bicycle accessories. I will definitely be entering this competition myself, although I may have to forfeit the prize to one of the cyclists in the family!

Halfords are hosting a competition and if you enter your contact details and sign up by February 29th 2016 then you could be in with a chance of winning one of these amazing exclusive prizes as shown below. You definitely don’t want to miss out! Here’s what’s up for grabs..

1st Prize Win the opportunity for you and a friend to partake in a ride out with Chris Boardman and a fantastic new bike up to the value of £1,000 each from Boardman's Performance range, in the discipline of your choice!

2nd Prize Win a new Performance Boardman bike up to the value of £1,000, in the discipline of your choice, signed by Chris Boardman himself.

3rd prize Win a signed Boardman bikes cycle jersey.

All you need to do is head over to Halfords website and click on their competition link here and answer a simple question which appears on the right hand side of the page. It only takes a minute or two to enter, and you could win some amazing prizes. What have you got to lose?

*Sponsored Post

Halfords Black Friday Competition*

Black Friday is the Friday after Thanksgiving in the United States and has recently been adopted in the UK as a day where retailers will offer massively discounted prices to entice Christmas shoppers. This year it falls on November 27th and while shopping on this day can be quite hectic, there are definitely great deals to be had in store and online.

Halfords is amongst one of the stores that will be participating in Black Friday and last year the deals went down a storm. This year is set to be even better and you could snap up cracking offers for all your car and technology enthusiasts out there just in time for Christmas.

As the UK’s leading cyclist and motoring retailer, Halfords is the first place I go to when in need of bike and car accessories. I will definitely be checking out the deals in store and online on Black Friday, and not forgetting Cyber Monday that follows afterwards.

Halfords are hosting a Black Friday competition and if you sign up to their VIP mailing list by 25^th November you can not only be the first to hear about these great deals, but also be in with a chance to win one of 3 Black Friday bundles worth up to £1500! Prizes include bikes, sat navs, car stereos and more - you definitely don’t want to miss out! Here’s what’s up for grabs..

1st Prize Black Friday bundle of gadgets & goodies worth over £1,500
2nd Prize Black Friday bundle of gadgets & goodies worth over £750
3rd prize Black Friday bundle of gadgets & goodies worth over £400

All you need to do is head over to Halfords website and click on their competition link here and answer a simple question which appears on the right hand side of the page. It only takes a minute or two to enter, and you could win some amazing prizes.

I’ll give you a clue – the answer is in this post! What have you got to lose?

*Sponsored Post.

Thomas Sabo at Silver Tree Jewellery*

I'm always looking for unique jewellery pieces so when I came across the Thomas Sabo Jewellery range at Silver Tree Jewellery I couldn't help but eye up all of the beautiful unique pieces they have available in their new Spring/Summer collection.

I absolutely love the pendant charms available and I thought I would show you some of my favourite pieces. The charms I liked best were the Thomas Sabo Converse Charm Pendant which is in the sale for £38 and the Thomas Sabo Penguin Charm for £50. Both charms are silver and come complete with enamel stone detailing.  You can even choose to add Silver Tree gift wrapping at no extra cost.

If you like the look of these charms as much as I do, then you'll need a charm bracelet to go with it. I love this silver Thomas Sabo Charm Club Charm Bracelet priced at £45.

If bracelets aren't really your favourite jewellery piece, then why not look at the Thomas Sabo watch range. I love this Rose Gold Chronograph Glam and Soul Watch priced at £275.

All UK orders are delivered free of charge which is fantastic as you can get great deals from the comfort of your own home without having to pay for delivery fees.

So if you're looking for fun unique jewellery, then please head over to Silver Tree Jewellery. Not only do they stock Thomas Sabo, they also stock many other designer brands such as Pandora, DKNY and Vivienne Westwood to name a few.

If you need even more of an incentive to treat yourself to some new jewellery from Silver Tree Jewellery then use my discount code - BLG_XAWTK2HI4899 for 20% off your order. Unfortunately this discount code is not valid for Thomas Sabo, Olivia Burton and Swarovski but there are plenty of other brands for you to treat yourself from. What are you waiting for?

*This is a sponsored post. All opinions are my own and I was not influenced in any way. Please see my disclaimer for more information. All photos c/o the Silver Tree Jewellery website.

Hello Lindt!*

About a year ago now I signed up to a website called BzzAgent which is a word of mouth website where you can sample their products in exchange for a review. When I signed up, I completed all the surveys and unfortunately none of the campaigns were suitable for me to test, and I kind of forgot about it... Until now.

I couldn’t have possibly received a more apt product! 5 100g bars of the Hello Lindt chocolate in flavours Strawberry Cheesecake, Caramel Brownie, Salted Caramel, Crunchy Nougat and Cookies and Cream, plus 2 39g Treat Bars for me to sample at my own leisure.

I have never been happier to receive a sample in my life. Especially a full sized sample at that! Of course, for research purposes I had to try all of the products out (what a shame hey!) I immediately thought that my favourite would be the caramel brownie flavour as I am a HUGE brownie fan, and although this was amazing, the salted caramel topped the lot as it had that extra edge and wasn’t too sickly. These bars have the creamy taste of Lindt with the added extras of the other flavours. I was in heaven! 

I literally cannot fault these bars. I’ve always been curious about trying them and I am glad I have had the opportunity. I LOVE every flavour!

If you would like to sign up to BzzAgent, click this link. 

Remember to fill out the surveys and maybe you too will be sampling some products very soon..

*I was sent these products for the purposes of a review. This post represents my honest opinions.